Activities at the
Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, were
paralysed on Tuesday as medical personnel and patients deserted the
hospital due to fear of Lassa fever which claimed two lives in the hospital.
The victims were an assistant nursing officer,
Abolanle Adesuyi, and a serving corps member…
The resurgence of the viral disease came barely
four months after the state government declared the state Lassa fever free.
The late corps member
was said to be a patient who had been down with the viral disease and had been
admitted into the FMC, Abeokuta.
Adesuyi was said to have attended to the corps
member, from who she contacted the virus.
Apparently startled by the death of the two
victims, the hospital management commissioned a test at the University College
Hospital, Ibadan to determine the cause.
The result, which came in on Tuesday, confirmed
that Lassa fever was responsible for their deaths on Friday and Sunday
respectively.
Punch’s correspondent
further gathered that two others – a doctor and a nurse – were reportedly
being monitored at the intensive care unit of the FHC, Idi-Aba, over the
virus.
As soon the news of the nature of the death of
the assistant nursing officer got to the hospital, many medical personnel
in the department deserted the place.
Some patients in the hospital were also said to
have pleaded to be discharged for fear of Lassa fever.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of
the hospital, Segun Orisajo, confirmed that Adesuyi died of the virus.
He said when the virus broke out in the
hospital, the management placed Adesuyi and two other members of
staff under surveillance.
Meanwhile, the state government has
confirmed that the deceased persons were victims of Lassa fever.
-Punch
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